The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2006

J U L Y - A UGU S T 2 0 0 6 / F OR E I GN S E R V I C E J OU R N A L 69 A F S A N E W S Special Award of Appreciation for Support of AFSA and the American Foreign Service Senator Paul S. Sarbanes, D-Md. In appreciation for all that he has done in support of the American Foreign Service and the American Foreign Service Association while serving in the U.S. Senate for 30 years, AFSA pre- sented a special award to Senator Paul S. Sarbanes, D-Md., at the AFSA Awards Ceremony on June 22. Sen. Sarbanes is retiring this year, at the end of the 109th session of Congress, having served five terms in the Senate. He currently serves as ranking member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and is a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Budget Committee and the Joint Economic Committee. For three decades, Sen. Sarbanes has been a champion for the Foreign Service, someone who understands the important role of diplomacy. As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Sarbanes and his staff have always provided AFSAwith valu- able advice and support. Because of his sound advice and careful consideration of legislation affecting the U.S. foreign affairs com- munity, the Foreign Service is better able to protect and advance the vital interests of the United States in the international arena. “For AFSA as well as all those in the Foreign Service communi- ty,” says AFSA Legislative Director Ken Nakamura, “he is known as a strong supporter and defender of our interests. His help comes inmany forms: fromquietly advising us to actively fighting for our interests, whether in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee or on the floor of the Senate. Without his help, many of the things that have improved the lives and working conditions of those in the Foreign Service, their families and our retirees would not have been achieved.” Sen. Sarbanes has consistently supported and fought for the resources needed for diplomacy and foreign assistance. He strong- ly favored appointment of ambassadors from the career Foreign Service. And he has always taken up less-noticed issues that strengthen the foreign affairs agencies and improve the Foreign Service. He has played a crucial role in defending the Foreign Service over many years, and served as a valuable partner in AFSA’s Capitol Hill efforts. AFSA is honored to recognize Sen. Sarbanes for his long record of support for the Foreign Service. Special Award of Appreciation Ambassador L. Bruce Laingen In deep gratitude for his two decades of disting uished service as chairman of the AFSA Awards and Plaque Committee, as well as his lifetime of dedication to the American Foreign Service Association and public service, AFSA honored Ambassador L. Bruce Laingen with a Special Award of Appreciation at the June 22 ceremony. In 1987, Amb. Laingen was elected as a retiree member of the ASFAGoverning Board and appointed chairman of the Awards Committee (which later became the Awards and Plaque Committee). During his tenure, he succeeded in greatly improving the stand- ing of the AFSA awards, and consistently pro- vided wise guidance in the important task of honoring members of the Foreign Service who have lost their lives overseas in the line of duty. AFSA is deeply grateful for Amb. Laingen’s commitment and dedication to our organization for somany years. In his modest and understated way, he made a tremendous contribution to the awards program, helping the association con- tinue to honor dissent through the only such program for U.S. government employees. He devoted countless hours to AFSA and the committee, always maintaining a high level of integrity. AMinnesotan, Amb. Laingen served in the U.S. Navy during WorldWar II and in the Foreign Service from1949 to 1987. He was ambassador toMalta from1977 to 1979. While serving as chargé d’affaires in Iran in 1979, he was taken hostage. Following his release in 1981, Amb. Laingen served as vice president of the National Defense University inWashington, D.C., and executive director of the National Commission on Public Service (the Volcker Commission). Amb. Laingen recently retired fromhis position as president of the American Academy of Diplomacy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to fostering the highest standards in the conduct of diplomacy. While president of the academy, he served on the boards of A Presidential Classroom for Young Americans, theMercersburg Academy of Pennsylvania, No Greater Love and the National Defense University Foundation, among others. He holds the Award for Valor from the U.S. Department of State, the Distinguished Public Service medal from the Department of Defense, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from St. Olaf College, the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement, a Presidential Meritorious Award and the Foreign Service Cup. Amb. Laingen is a graduate of St. Olaf College inMinnesota, the National War College and has a master’s degree in interna- tional relations from the University of Minnesota. He is the author of Yellow Ribbon: The Secret Journal of Bruce Laingen (1992), and has written several articles and commentaries for the Foreign Service Journal.